Art is for Everybody. The artist as activist

One of the key figures in the New York art world of the 1980s, Keith Haring (1958-1990) created a signature style that blended street art, graffiti, Pop, and cartoon elements to unique, memorable effect. With thick black outlines, bright colours, and kinetic figures, his public (and occasionally illegal) interventions, sculptures, and works on canvas and paper have become instantly recognizable icons of 20th-century visual culture.

From his first chalk drawings in the New York City subway stations, to his renowned Radiant Baby symbol, and his commissions for Swatch Watch and Absolut Vodka, Haring s work was both emblematic of the manic work ethic of 1980s New York, yet distinctive for its social-awareness. Belying their bright, playful aesthetics, his pieces often tackled intensely controversial socio-political issues, including racism, capitalism, religious fundamentalism, and the increasing impact of AIDS on New York's gay community, the latter foreshadowing his own death from the disease in 1990.

In this vivid introduction to Haring's work, we explore the dynamic life and innovative spirit of this singular artist, who spent little more than a decade in the spotlight, but through the accessibility of his visual vocabulary and the strength of his political commitment became one of the most significant artists to emerge from New York's vibrant, downtown community.

About the series:

Each book in TASCHEN's Basic Art series features:

- a detailed chronological summary of the life and oeuvre of the artist, covering his or her cultural and historical importance
- a concise biography
- approximately 100 illustrations with explanatory captions

Closely based on Haring’s own concept for the monograph he wanted to publish before his untimely death, this volume represents more than a decade of research and contains a wealth of unpublished photographic and written material including drawings, studio photographs, and journal entries.

From chalk drawings deep in the New York City subways to murals in Pisa and Berlin; collaborations with William Burroughs and the famous body painting of Grace Jones, this book follows the incredible trajectory of Keith Haring’s artistic career: how a young man from a small town in rural Pennsylvania came to revolutionize the art world - and the course of art history - within little more than a decade. An incredibly prolific artist, Keith Haring created countless bold, provocative, endearing, and unforgettable images that continue to inspire artists - and delight children - worldwide.

Tracing the arc from his early subway "tags" to his poignant work on social issues as diverse as AIDS, illiteracy and apartheid, this visually stunning book is the definitive work on Keith Haring.

About the Authors:

Jeffrey Deitch is a leading New York art dealer representing a range of high profile contemporary artists, as well as the Estate of Keith Haring. Deitch’s writings have appeared in several books, among them, the highly acclaimed Beautiful Losers: Contemporary Art and Street Culture. Suzanne Geiss is Managing Director and Producer of Deitch Projects.

Julia Gruen, former assistant to Keith Haring, is the executive director of the Keith Haring Foundation. Kenny Scharf and George Condo are renowned international artists.

Haring as activist and egalitarian: a fresh, accessible and dynamic look at one of New York’s most exhilarating artists.

Lavishly illustrated with essays and reflections by cultural leaders, Keith Haring: Art Is for Everybody surveys Haring’s dynamic art practice from 1978 to 1990, shining a bright light on the iconic and beloved artist known for his fluid, uniform lines, intricate compositions and repeating imagery such as the barking dog and radiant baby. Forty years after he came to prominence, Haring’s art continues to garner worldwide recognition, breaking down barriers and spreading joy, while taking on complex issues that remain crucial today, from environmentalism, capitalism and the proliferation of new technologies to religion, sexuality and race.

Titled after a quote from Haring’s journals, Art Is for Everybody centers on the artist’s activism, the emphasis he placed on community and his egalitarian approach to art and life. The volume is organized chronologically and thematically, emphasizing Haring’s work made with publics in mind such as the subway drawings and murals, his collaborative practice and his unflinching belief that art is essential in making a better world.

Keith Haring was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1958 and arrived in New York from Pittsburgh in 1978, befriending artists including Kenny Scharf and Jean-Michel Basquiat. During the 1980s, Haring achieved international recognition and participated in numerous group and solo exhibitions. After contracting HIV in 1988, he focused his activism on the AIDS crisis. Less than two years later, Haring died of an AIDS-related illness.

Exuberant, profane, witty, and provocative, the images in this book reveal the political dimension of Keith Haring’s artistic concerns

Through his graffiti-inspired drawings, paintings, sculptures, murals, and other works, Keith Haring created an immediately recognizable visual iconography that spoke to an enormous population — gay and straight, young and old, male and female. His importance in the annals of popular culture is indisputable, but little attention has been paid to his advocacy for social justice.

Haring’s political perspective is the focus of this visually arresting selection of works that traces the artist’s development and historical significance and gives new gravitas to his career. Accompanying a major exhibition at the de Young museum in San Francisco, this book features more than 130 works of art, including large-scale paintings on tarpaulin and canvas, sculptures, and subway drawings. Together they create a narrative that explores Haring’s responses to nuclear disarmament, racial inequality, capitalist excess, environmental degradation, and other prevalent social issues.

Essays and conversations with writers, critics, and art dealers round out this important analysis of Haring’s life, career, and passion.

About the Author:

Dieter Buchhart is an art critic for Kunstforum International and the author of Keith Haring: The Political Line (DelMonico Books·Prestel).

Bursting with colour and featuring Keith Haring’s powerful messages, this collection of posters includes insightful commentary and dazzling reproductions

Whether Keith Haring was raising awareness of the AIDS epidemic and apartheid or celebrating life, music, and dance, his signature illustrations became part of the cultural landscape of the 1980s. Posters were central to Haring’s oeuvre and the perfect medium for his inclusive, accessible, and figurative style. Author Jurgen Doring offers fascinating insights into Haring’s work, providing commentary on each of the exquisitely reproduced posters. Important reference work and a vibrant celebration of a world-renowned artist, this book will delight Haring’s many fans throughout the world.

Happy land. The cheerful art of street culture's most famous proponent

By the time of his death from AIDS at the age of 31, Keith Haring (1958-1990) was already a wildly successful and popular artist. Haring’s original and instantly recognizable style, full of thick black lines, bold colours, and graffiti-inspired cartoon-like figures won him the appreciation of both the art world and the general public; his work appeared simultaneously on T-shirts, gallery walls, and public murals. In 1986, Haring founded Pop Shop, a boutique in New York’s SoHo selling Haring-designed memorabilia, to benefit charities and help bring his work closer to the public and especially street kids, with whom he never lost contact.

About the Series:

Each book in TASCHEN’s Basic Art Series features:

- a detailed chronological summary of the life and oeuvre of the artist, covering his or her cultural and historical importance

- a concise biography

- approximately 100 colour illustrations with explanatory captions

The author:

Alexandra Kolossa studied art history, German literature, and business administration in Trier. She took her doctorate in 2003. Since 1998 she has been a freelance author and contemporary art exhibition curator. She lives and works in Düren, Germany.

By the time of his death from AIDS at the age of 31, Keith Haring (1958-1990) was already a wildly successful and popular artist. Haring`s original and instantly recognizable style, full of thick black lines, bold colours, and graffiti-inspired cartoon-like figures won him the appreciation of both the art world and the general public; his work appeared simultaneously on T-shirts, gallery walls, and public murals. In 1986, Haring founded Pop Shop, a boutique in New York`s SoHo selling Haring-designed memorabilia, to benefit charities and help bring his work closer to the public and especially street kids, with whom he never lost contact.